How to Sing and Play “Down on the Banks of the Hanky Panky”

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Learn this popular rhyming song and clapping game

Co-authored by Hunter Rising

Last Updated: February 26, 2025 Fact Checked

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Lyrics

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Song Variations

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Playing the Clapping Game

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Counting Game Variation

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Song Origins

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Similar Rhyming & Clapping Games

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Video

While Bluey got the song stuck in everyone’s heads again, “Down on the Banks of the Hanky Panky” is a childhood classic that’s been around for a long time. This song and clapping game is a staple on playgrounds, and it’s still just as fun today. We’ll refresh your memory on the lyrics and different variations on the words, explain where the song came from, and share other fun clapping games to try out next.

Section 1 of 6:

“Down on the Banks of the Hanky Panky” Lyrics

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Down by the banks of the hanky-panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
With a hip, hop, hippity hop
Jumped off a lily pad and went KERPLOP!^{[1]
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Section 2 of 6:

Variations of “Down on the Banks of the Hanky Panky”

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Down by the banks of the hanky-pankyWhere the bullfrogs jump from bank to bankySinging eeps, ipes, opes, opps1, 2, 3, and you go kerplop!
2
Down by the banks of the hanky-panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
With a hip, hop, crackle and a pop
Hip, hop, crackle and a pop
O-U-T spells out!
3
Down by the banks of the hanky-panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
It’s like eeps, opps, soda pops
Then it hit the water and it went KERPLOP!
4
Down by the banks of the hanky-panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
With a he, hi, ho, hop
Leaps off a lily pad and with a big kerPLOP!
5
Down by the banks of the hanky-panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
With an eeps, arps, opes, oops
Ee-sock-a-dilly and kerFLOP!
6
Down by the banks of the hanky-panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to banky
Saying eeps, ipes, opps, oops
East side, west side, ping pang pong!

Section 3 of 6:

How to Play the Down on the Banks of the Hanky Panky Clapping Game

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1
Sit in a circle with your palms overlapping. This game works best with a big group of friends, but 3-5 people is enough for a short game. Sit cross-legged in a circle and keep your palms face-up on your sides. Everyone puts their right hand on top of the other person’s hand to their right.^{[2]
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- Even though the game is meant for kids, anyone can play as long as they memorize the lyrics to the song.
2
Start reciting the lyrics and clapping around the circle. Choose a random person to start the game. At the same time, all the players start to sing the lyrics to the “Down on the Banks” song. As soon as the song starts, the starting player reaches over with their right hand and claps the person to their left’s hand. Then, that person does the same so the clap goes around in a circle.^{[3]
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- Try your best to clap at a steady beat during the start of the song.
3
Leave the circle if you’re the last person hit when the song ends. During the last line of the song, players can speed up and clap the next person’s hand faster. If you were the last person to get your hand clapped when the song is over, then you’re out for the rest of the game.^{[4]
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- If another person tries to clap your hand right when the song ends, you can try to move your hand away. If the person misses your hand, then they’re out of the game instead.
- Once a person leaves the circle, all the other players scooch in closer to make a smaller circle.
4
Restart the song and keep eliminating players until 1 person is left. Start with the player next to the person who just got out for the next round. Each round, one more person leaves the circle until the final 2 players are left. Hold hands like you’re about to do a handshake. Instead of clapping, push the other person’s hand toward them along to the beat of the song.^{[5]
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- Whoever has their hand pushed into them last loses and the other player wins!

Section 4 of 6:

Down on the Banks Counting Game

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Replace the first words of the second line with a number and count backward. Rather than saying “Where the bullfrogs jump…” choose a random starting number, like “5 bullfrogs jump…” When you finish the verse, start the song over and with the next lowest number. Keep counting down, and when you reach 1, end the song!
- Full Counting Game Song Lyrics:
  - Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
    5 bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
    With a hip, hop, hippity hop
    One jumped off a lily pad and went KERPLOP!
  - Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
    4 bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
    With a hip, hop, hippity hop
    One jumped off a lily pad and went KERPLOP!
  - Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
    3 bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
    With a hip, hop, hippity hop
    One jumped off a lily pad and went KERPLOP!
  - Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
    2 bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
    With a hip, hop, hippity hop
    One jumped off a lily pad and went KERPLOP!
  - Down by the banks of the Hanky Panky
    1 bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
    With a hip, hop, hippity hop
    One jumped off a lily pad and went KERPLOP!

Section 5 of 6:

Where did "Down on the Banks of Hanky Panky" come from?

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The song most likely originated in the late 1800s in the USA. There are so many versions of the song now that it makes the origins of the original a little unclear. However, a rhyming song was published in Virginia around 1895 that shares similar lyrics, and many people believe it’s where “Down on the Banks” first started. The lyrics are:^{[6]
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- He came to the banks
  Of the Pasquotank
  Where the bull-frogs jump
  From bank to bank

Section 6 of 6:

Similar Rhyming & Clapping Games

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1
Stella Ella Ola Stella Ella Ola is another rhyming game that has the exact same rules as Down on the Bank of Hanky Panky. Have everyone sit in a circle so their right hand is on top of the person to their right’s hand. Clap along to the beat of the song, and whoever is the last person to clap when you reach the end of the lyrics is out for the rest of the game.^{[7]
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- Stella-ella-ola clap, clap, clap
  Singing S, chico, chico
  Chico, chico, clap, clap
  S chico, chico
  Baloney, baloney
  Cheese and macaroni
  1-2-3-4-5!
2
Miss Mary Mack Sit across from a partner when you play Miss Mary Mack. Start by crossing your arms in front of your chest. Then, rest your hands on your thighs. Then, clap with your partner 3 times with the last words of each line. Clap your right hand with their left hand, then use both hands to clap theirs, and end with your left hand clapping their right. Clap along to each line until you finish the song.^{[8]
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- Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack
  All dressed in black, black, black
  With silver buttons, buttons, buttons
  Up and down her back, back, back.
  
  She asked her mother, mother, mother
  For fifty cents, cents, cents
  To see the elephants, elephants, elephants
  Jump the fence, fence, fence
  
  They jumped so high, high, high
  They touched the sky, sky, sky
  And they never came back, back, back
  ‘Til the Fourth of July, -ly, -ly
3
A Sailor Went to Sea Clap with your partner twice at the start of each line. During the first verse, point at your eyes when you say “sea.” For the second verse, point at your knees when you say “knee.” For the third verse, make an axe-chopping motion with your hands when you say “chop.” When you sing the final verse, combine all 3 motions when you say each word.^{[9]
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- A sailor went to sea, sea, sea
  To see what he could see, see, see
  But all that he could see, see, see
  Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea.
  
  A sailor went to chop, chop, chop
  To see what he could chop, chop, chop
  But all that he could chop, chop, chop
  Was the bottom of the deep blue chop, chop, chop
  
  A sailor went to knee, knee, knee
  To see what he could knee, knee, knee
  But all that he could knee, knee, knee
  Was the bottom of the deep blue knee, knee, knee
  
  A sailor went to sea, chop, knee
  To see what he could sea, chop, knee
  But all that he could sea, chop, knee
  Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, chop, knee
4
Four White Horses Get 4 people together and stand in a square. On the first beat, clap your hands with the people on your sides. On the second beat, reach up and clap hands with the person across from you. The other 2 people reach down and clap hands with each other. Alternate between clapping with the people next to you and across for you while you recite the lyrics.^{[10]
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- Four white horses on the river
  Hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow
  Hope tomorrow is a rainy day
  Come along and join our shadow play
  Shadow playin’ is a ripe banana
  Hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow
  Hope tomorrow is a rainy day!
5
Patty Cake Patty Cake is the perfect game for really young kids because the words are really simple. Clap along with a partner during the first few lines. Then, pretend to roll out dough, pat it in front of you, and trace the letter B in the air. At the end of the song, pretend to open an oven and put the patty cake in.^{[11]
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- Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man
  Bake me a cake as fast as you can!
  Roll it, Pat it and mark it with a “B”
  Put it in the oven for baby and me!